UAE Pro League


The UAE Pro League, also known as the ADNOC Pro League for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in the United Arab Emirates and the highest level of the Emirati football league system.
The first team to win the title was Al Orouba, whilst Al Ain has the record with 14 league titles to their name. Fourteen clubs compete in the league that operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the First Division League.
The League was founded in 1973 as the UAE Football League. The first 1973–74 season was a "trial" championship but was declared official by the UAE FA in 2001. In February 2007, the Pro League Committee was formed, and became the organising body of the league.

Name change

Starting from the 2006–07 season the name was changed from UAE League to Etisalat League. And since the 2013–14 season, the name was changed from Etisalat Pro League to Arabian Gulf League, which was named after the Arabian Gulf as per the chairman of Pro League Committee. However, the name change has been viewed as a revival of the Persian Gulf naming dispute with Iran accusing the United Arab Emirates of bigotry, and the Football Federation [Islamic Republic of Iran|Iranian Football Federation] barring the transfer of Javad Nekounam to a UAE club. After about four months of the name change a 70 million Emirates dirham|AED] one-year renewable partnership deal was announced with Arabian Gulf Development to be named Official Title Partner. On 8 August, the Pro League signed a new partnership deal with ADNOC worth 80 million AED, from the start of the 2021–22 season, the league was renamed to the UAE's ADNOC Pro League.

Ranking

''As of 26 May 2024''

Clubs

Member clubs (2025–26)

ClubHome cityStadiumCapacity
AjmanAjmanAjman Stadium
Al AinAl-AinHazza Bin Zayed Stadium
Al BataehAl BataehAl Bataeh Stadium
Al DhafraMadinat ZayedAl Dhafra Stadium
Al JaziraAbu Dhabi Mohammad Bin Zayed Stadium
Al NasrDubai Al-Maktoum Stadium
Al WahdaAbu Dhabi Al Nahyan Stadium
Al WaslDubai Zabeel Stadium
BaniyasAbu Dhabi Baniyas Stadium
Dibba [Al Fujairah FC|Dibba Al Fujairah]Dibba Al FujairahDibba New Stadium
Al-Ittihad [Kalba SC|Kalba]KalbaIttihad Kalba Stadium
Khor FakkanKhor FakkanSaqr bin Mohammad al Qassimi Stadium
Shabab Al-Ahli [Dubai FC|Shabab Al Ahli]Dubai Rashid Stadium
SharjahSharjahSharjah Stadium

Prior to UAE League's transition to the professional era in 2008, many clubs have competed in the country's top tier division from 1973–74 to 2007–08. The below list is clubs that have competed in the UAE top-tier league since the Pro League era starting in 2008–09.

Seasons in Pro League

Notes:
  • Italtics indicates that the club no longer exists
  • Bold indicates that the club is still competing in the UAE Pro League as of 2024–25

    Managers

List of champions

Source:
Notes
1. Competition cancelled due to Gulf War
2. Competition cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Arab Emirates

Champions

Performance by club

As of 2024, following clubs are officially allowed to wear stars while playing in the League. Each country's usage is unique and in UAE the practice is to award one star for each five titles won. The number in parentheses is for League titles won.
ClubWonRunners-upWinning seasons
Al Ain 1491976–77, 1980–81, 1983–84, 1992–93, 1997–98, 1999–2000, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2017–18, 2021–22
Al Ahli Club|Shabab Al Ahli] 941974–75, 1975–76, 1979–80, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2022–23, 2024–25
Al Wasl 881981–82, 1982–83, 1984–85, 1987–88, 1991–92, 1996–97, 2006–07, 2023–24
Sharjah 671973–74, 1986–87, 1988–89, 1993–94, 1995–96, 2018–19
[Al Wahda FC |Al Wahda]451998–99, 2000–01, 2004–05, 2009–10
[Al Jazira Club|Al Jazira]352010–11, 2016–17, 2020–21
Al Nasr341977–78, 1978–79, 1985–86
Al Shabab311989–90, 1994–95, 2007–08
Al Shaab02
Baniyas02

Notes
1. Al Shabab and Dubai CSC merged into Al-Ahli to form Shabab Al Ahli in 2017.
2. Al Shaab folded in 2017.

Performance by city

Performance by emirates

Players

All-time top scorers

Source:
RankNatNameClubYearsGoalsApps
1

Top scorers by season

Top scorers by country

Honours

Tournaments

Intercontinental

Only official honours are included, according to FIFA statutes.
CompetitionTotal
Club World Cup0101
Asian Champions League 12327
Asian Champions League 21102
Total35210

Individual

Intercontinental